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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · net · bulb · chair · ball · present · suit · mate

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. chair — a leader
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. net — in sport
  8. present — a gift
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mate — to breed
  11. net — for catching
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mate — a friend
  20. present — there
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. present — the time now
  24. chair — a professorship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com